


Surfer Girl

by Caitybug



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, F/F, First Kiss, Surfer AU, but also lifeguard au?, does this count as a slow burn?, post freshman year of college, shadow weaver is still a dick in this bc we hate her here, some side scorfuma for the fans, you gonna have to wait for the kiss regardless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25984741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caitybug/pseuds/Caitybug
Summary: Catra hasn't seen Adora since they parted senior year.Adora went to school and started her life.Catra stayed in the town they grew up in, working at a gas station.But then, she's fired and starts working at the beach concessions stand.She'd rather not be there. Catra hates water, sand, and the smell of salt in the air. But if it pays the bills she'll handle it.She quickly changes her mind, however, when Adora and her collide together (literally.)
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 233





	1. Stuck Between a Giraffe and a Hard Place

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Adamarks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adamarks/gifts).



> Hi! This is my first ever catradora fic so I hope you like it! It's a birthday fic for [my friend jay](http://tumblr.com/blog/adamarks)
> 
> Happy birthday, friend! I hope you enjoy this fic. 
> 
> I also have a playlist attached, if anyone is interested. Some songs are mentioned throughout! But otherwise, if you enjoy dad beach vibes mixed with pining lesbian, then this playlist is for you haha.
> 
> [Surfer Girl Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6e0XQC34iIMihYgAJTCLB0?si=-LPO2FviRrmv51Tf8BEZzQ)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra has to get a new job at a beach for the summer. 
> 
> She runs into someone on the first day who she hoped she'd never see again.

Catra sits in the backroom, forced to listen to an orientation about proper customer service techniques, public safety, and how to get sand out of your bathing suit effectively. 

(If she’s lucky, she won’t be getting sand in  _ anything _ . Sand in her fur isn’t something she wants to mess with.)

“Hey there, wildcat,” Scorpia whispers in her ear. “Fun stuff, right? Rogelio’s helped me figure out how to get sand out of my pincers.”

She holds them up in the air and pinches them together.

Catra frowns. 

_ How does she get sand stuck there in the first place? _

“Yeah, fun,” she mutters, dropping her head in her hand. 

She is sitting on a milk crate and the fan is blowing too loud in her ear. There's nothing comfortable about the back room. 

The fan oscillates back to her face, making her ear twitch. 

(She keeps moving around to avoid the damn thing. But it keeps following her around.)

_ This summer is going to be awful _ . 

It’s her, Scorpia, Kyle, Rogelio, and Lonnie who split the work between ticketing, concessions, and some cleanup. There are others as well, but they all work the evening shift. 

Catra is assigned to the concessions stand in a move she thanks any god who will listen. It’s the only blessing of the summer, allowing her the excuse to both stay away from the water and from cleaning the toilets. 

(She would have quit if they made her scrub toilets.)

“Alright, any questions?” Rogelio asks. He lowers his clipboard and scans the few people crammed together.

It's silent for a moment. 

Catra starts to get up, convinced that no one is going to chime in, but then Kyle raises his hand.

“Kyle!” She groans.

Lonnie rolls her eyes, Scorpia winces. He looks at her with puppy dog eyes, obviously missing how annoyed she is. 

“I just have a question about-”

Catra rolls her eyes and walks out anyway, not wanting to listen to a thing he has to say. She went to school with Kyle and already knows how annoying he can be. 

No one stops her from leaving, so it can’t be  _ that _ important of a question anyway. 

She walks into the fresh air, eventually hitting the sand outside the building. 

Catra exhales and closes her eyes, trying to find a way to survive this day. 

She opens them again and looks down the beach. 

Catra isn’t a beachgoer. She hates the sand, the water, and how even the air  _ tastes _ like salt. But she can’t deny how pretty the world looks this early (even if she  _ does _ hate mornings.) The sun over the horizon, having just risen enough to be in full view. It’s brighter in the mornings, reflecting off the water, trying its best to wake the world up.

The waves lazily wash on the shore, adding a soft sound that’s bound to be ruined shortly by screaming children and beer-chugging frat bros. 

By a stand, there is a group of lifeguards huddled together for what must be their beginning of summer meeting. 

Some are in bright red swimsuits, some in normal clothes.

(Not everyone must be working today.)

There’s a blow of a whistle and laughter pouring from the group. Catra rolls her eyes.

(She’s going to need to stay far away from the lifeguards. They seem unbearable.)

“Are you ready to open the stand?” Catra feels a heavy arm rest on her shoulder. The bright red of a pincer comes into her peripheral. 

She knocks her arm off with a shrug of her shoulder.

“Yeah, whatever, let’s just go,” she mumbles. 

She knows she shouldn’t be brash to Scorpia. She’s the reason Catra has this job in the first place. 

Even if she hates the beach, she needs money to live. So she’ll take it. 

Before this, she worked at a gas station as a cashier.

(It didn’t go well.)

_ “Excuse me, can you fix the ice cream machine?” A person asked.  _

It was 10 am on a Tuesday. 

(Not that it matters, Catra just felt it was a bit early for ice cream.)

_ “Well,” Catra replied, pulling her hair back into a ponytail, “as you can clearly read, being a person of over the age of five, there is currently tape around it and a note saying it is out of order. If I were able to fix it, trust me I would have before you walked into this store, as my only job in life is to please you.”  _

_ She put the largest fake smile on, playing the part of the pleasant service worker.  _

Catra was quickly fired after a brief stint of the woman screaming at her, asking to see the manager, and then something about her constantly receiving criticisms about how she acts in the shop. 

Not like she  _ enjoyed _ that place anyway. It was a dumb job at a stinky gas station. 

But it paid the bills. 

(And there was no risk of getting sand in her fur.)

Catra moves to get behind the counter of the concessions stand. The door handle gets stuck. 

“What in the-”

(Even the building doesn’t want her to be there.)

“Oh,” Scorpia laughs, “that happens sometimes. Here.”

She grabs the handle with one of her pincers, trying to jiggle the handle. Scorpia does it with purpose, from the standpoint of someone experienced with the horrid door handle. 

After a few purposeful tugs, pushes, pulls, and a couple of grunts, the door opens.

“You should get that fixed,” Catra states, walking in. 

She flicks on a light (fluorescents, great. Now her headache from working here will be accompanied by a headache from poor overhead lighting.) There is a buzzing noise she can’t quite place.

Is it the lights? The fridge? 

Maybe it’s just her head, looking for an excuse to escape. 

Scorpia lifts the garage-style window over the counter. It makes it easier to breathe, at least. 

_ It’s so stuffy _ .

(Must be the processed cheese and lack of ventilation.)

“Well, I’ve gotta go check out the inventory in the back, are you gonna be alright out here?” Scorpia asks.

“Yeah,” Catra jumps up on the counter and pulls out her phone. “I’m always alright.”

In a few moments, the beach will open and people will start pouring in like water through a floodgate. She looks out onto the beach again, seeing the lifeguards on duty start to take their stands. 

One of them she knows without taking a second glance. 

_ Perfuma.  _

They went to high school together, even had ceramics as a course. (Perfuma took it seriously, Catra thought it would be an easy A.)

She lets out a deep sigh. 

Catra doesn’t want to run into high school people (who does?) Especially fresh out of their first year of college, all abuzz about trying alcohol or late nights studying in the library. 

It’s all annoying.

And not at all interesting to listen to.

_ Especially when she didn’t go _ . 

She gets a queasy feeling in her stomach and jumps off the counter, frowning at the pretzel machine. 

_ It needs to be cleaned _ . 

(There’s no way it has been recently. She can see oil on the glass panels, covering each side in patterns similar to a Rorschach test.)

Catra grabs spray and a cloth to clean it out, planning to put fresh pretzels in. 

She wasn’t the only one who didn’t go to college this year like everyone else. College isn’t  _ necessary _ . Especially right out of high school. It’s completely normal to take a break after dealing with absolute hell for four years. 

(It should be encouraged, in Catra’s opinion.)

It’s not even something you  _ need _ to do. What was college going to give Catra anyway? 

Her old boss, Huntara, hadn’t gone to college. She makes plenty of money as an owner of a gas station. 

There are a few others in their class who didn’t go to school. 

Some stayed in town to go to the local university or community colleges. A few, like Catra, hadn’t even applied. 

Scorpia didn’t either. 

Catra hears laughter from the beach and looks up. 

Someone else is on a stand. They’ve got a golden ponytail and a stupid red visor. Catra sees a thick layer of sunscreen on their shoulders. 

She snorts. 

_ What a nerd _ . 

They probably have a thick layer of sunscreen on their nose too. 

Someone comes up to the counter to order a soda. 

She looks at the clock. 

“Sorry kid, I’ve still got half an hour to get everything put together. Come back then,” she says, turning back around to continue cleaning the pretzel machine. 

The kid stammers a response but walks away. She sighs a breath of relief. 

(She isn’t mentally prepared for customers yet.) 

A half an hour passes. Catra cleans the pretzel machine and starts working on the popcorn. 

The kid returns and orders a Mountain Dew. She winces but sells it to him regardless. 

_ Why  _ Mountain Dew  _ of all sodas? _

“Oh my god,” she hears as someone walks down the beach. “My mom is being absolutely ridiculous! It’s like she doesn’t realize that I just spent almost a year taking care of myself.” 

Catra looks up and sees a mix of purple and pink hair. 

Her fur stands on end. 

Next to her walks a man wearing purple and gold swim trunks, a grey crop top, and has his hair slightly pulled back into a bun. 

She looks around frantically, but it seems to just be the two of them. 

Catra knows those two. 

_ And she knows who is often with them _ .

(Ever since the end of their senior year, at least.)

“Everything alright?” She hears from behind her. Catra jumps. 

“Kyle! What the hell? Don’t just sneak up on me like that,” she argues as he walks behind her. 

He is looking around in the corner, to the left side of the mini freezer of frozen Dippin Dots and Choco Tacos. 

“Sorry Catra, your tail was all fluffy, figured that meant something was going on.”

She turns, seeing her tail. The fur sticks out at all ends, betraying everything she tries to hide. 

Catra lets out a huff and runs her hand over it, flattening it out, thinking nothing but insults of the appendage.

(What good  _ is _ a tail anyway?)

“Kyle, what the fuck are you doing back here?” 

“Trying to find the plugin for music,” he says, straining. 

“Oh no, you are NOT the person in charge of music,” Catra says, pushing him to the side. 

“Catra,” she hears from behind her. She turns and sees Hordak, her boss. His eyes are furrowed and his arms are crossed. 

In any other setting, she’d be laughing. The look on his face and his entire demeanor is betrayed by his red hawaiian shirt (company uniform.)

But she just lost a job, she shouldn’t put the next one in jeopardy on her first day. 

(She’ll wait until the third, at  _ least _ .)

“Yes,” she replies through clenched teeth, standing up. 

“Kyle is in charge of the music, you’ll just have to deal with it,” he says. “Have you gone through the drawer yet and done your count?”

She looks at the register. 

_ No, she hadn’t _ . 

“Yes, of course,” she replies confidently, hoping he doesn’t see through her lie. 

He nods and walks off. Kyle stands up behind her and she hears the swell of music from above her head. 

Catra leans out and sees speakers on the roof of the shack she resides in. 

(Shady Shack? Shitty Shack? What’s a proper name for the hellhole that she works in?)

The music plays softly at first. 

She thinks for a moment maybe it won’t be too awful. 

But then Kyle walks through the door. 

The volume increases.

She frowns as the song mentions  _ east coast girls _ . 

_ Is this…? _

_ I wish they all could be California _ . 

“Kyle!” She shouts, leaning over the counter. “You get back here right now!” 

_ Just because they work at a fucking beach doesn’t mean it has to be a fucking Beach Boys soundtrack all summer long _ . 

She gets no response but hears a laugh from down the beach. It’s the girl with the ponytail again. The two people she saw earlier (Glimmer and Bow. Pink and purple hair, crop top, and gold swim trunks) are next to her stand. 

The laugh sounds familiar.

But.

It  _ can’t _ be. 

Catra shakes her head. 

_ Wish they could all be California girls _ .

Catra groans. 

Isn’t it bad enough she has to deal with everyone coming back from college? Now she has to handle an array of music that would only evoke joy in the most twisted of beings. 

_ They’re probably all going to talk about stupid parties or how hard their classes were.  _

She hands a pretzel, drinks, and a bag of popcorn to a family. Scorpia waves at her from Perfuma’s stand, giving her a big smile.

She waves back before she realizes what she is doing. 

Scorpia took a gap year. 

But her circumstances were different from Catra’s. She’s going to go to school as soon as things settle down. As soon as she feels she can handle the stress of it and not leave her family without help. 

Her mom has been sick.

Better, now, but it was dicey for a moment. 

Scorpia is thinking she may get to start next January. She’s even signed up for two online classes at community college this fall.

It means Catra is going to be left, yet again. 

(That’s what people do, isn’t it?)

When the end of her shift comes, Catra quickly passes the responsibilities off on the next worker. (Frosta; she’s young, a little brash and a  _ lot _ aggressive, but Catra won’t complain. She gets to leave, that’s all that matters.)

“Let me clock out and I’ll join you,” Catra hears from behind her. She doesn’t bother to look. 

It seems the person shouting also wasn’t looking because soon she is being knocked down to the ground as the person stumbles over her. 

The person smells like sunscreen and bananas. (Must have used the Banana Boat stuff they keep in the back.) 

Also sweet, in a way. Not artificially so, just naturally.

(Catra hates that she takes a soft inhale of it before stumbling apart.)

“Oh no,” the person says. 

The voice sounds familiar.

Like...

No. Catra is unlucky, but there’s no way she’d be  _ that _ unlucky. 

“I’m so sorry,” the girl continues. Catra gets up on her knees, wiping sand off her shirt. A hand reaches and grabs her arm. 

It’s with the intent to help her up, but Catra pulls her arm back.

“I don’t need your help,” she growls, stepping up and turning around. “Who taught you how to walk anyway? A baby giraffe-”

She stops. 

_ It seems she is that unlucky _ . 

Standing before her, in a red lifeguard one piece, a ponytail, sunscreen fading on her shoulders, a stupid visor resting on the top of her head, is the person she’s been working hard to avoid all year long. 

_ Adora _ .

“Catra-” she says, eyes wide. “Hi I-”

Catra turns back around and pushes into the back room to clock out. 

“Catra?” She asks, following her inside.

“Leave me alone,” she growls. 

_ She doesn’t want to see her, hear her, or know whatever perfect things she’s done this past year. _

“I just want to see how you are,” she mutters quietly. 

“I’m just fine,” Catra spits, turning back to face her. “I always am.”

Adora frowns. 

“I don’t know why you are being so rude,” she says, an edge starting to her voice.

_ Good _ . 

Catra can handle anger. She can handle bitterness and yelling, even hitting if need be. 

Arguing is a specialty of hers. 

“Well you would be too if some blonde know-it-all trampled you as you were trying to leave work.”

Adora’s face goes red at the edges. 

“I said sorry!” She shouts. 

Catra opens her mouth to respond, but the door opens. 

“Everything alright in here?” Scorpia asks. Her eyes are moving between the two of them, sensing the tension.

“Just peachy,” Catra growls, pushing past Adora and out the door. 

Scorpia tries to follow her, but she ignores the questions.

Adora wasn’t supposed to find her again. Catra had spent all year avoiding her. She dodged texts, messages on social media, even a last-ditch effort when she showed up at her apartment over Christmas break. 

She wasn’t sure why Adora was so determined to get a hold of her. 

Adora was the one who left in the first place.

Catra stayed behind, unable to join the rest of their class going off for college. 

_ College is for nerds anyway. _

Catra doesn’t need it. Plenty of people are successful without schooling anyway. She’d be plenty happy and show everyone up.

She walks down the road, her apartment only a mile away.

_ Maybe the gas station is still hiring for a cashier. They’ll be desperate enough to take her back.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! 
> 
> Feel free to check me out on [Tumblr!](http://tumblr.com/blog/caitybuglove23)


	2. When One Door is Stuck and the Other is Locked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra tries to avoid Adora.
> 
> (It doesn't go well.)
> 
> This is a gift for [Adamarks](http://tumblr.com/blog/adamarks)

Catra, unfortunately, didn’t get her job back at the gas station despite trying everything she could think of.

_ “Hey there, Huntara,” _ she said, leaning against the counter.

_ First method: charm. _

Huntara pushed her arm off in response, making Catra fall to the ground. 

(Catra wasn’t typically successful with the charm method.)

Catra tried her usual technique.

“Huntara!” She shouted, walking into the store. “You know it’s bullshit. That woman was being totally ridiculous.”

Yelling and being angry always worked better for her. 

Huntara didn’t respond verbally. She simply finished her transaction, picked Catra up, and threw her out of the store. 

_ So much for that method. _

(She should have known that nothing scares Huntara. Once she saw Huntara slam a door shut so hard the glass shattered.)

So, Catra has begrudgingly stayed in the tiny shack by the beach, accompanied by horrible music chosen by Kyle and lobster-red customers begging for a bomb pop. 

Another thing she has to avoid:  _ Adora. _

( _ Adora can’t be THAT hard to ignore, right?) _

It’s not like they work together or interact ever.

“Adora wait up!” She hears, a blur of pink and purple running down the beach. 

Catra rolls her eyes and tries to focus on the task at hand: the solitaire game currently pulled up on her phone. 

Glimmer shouts for Adora again, resulting in a shouted  _ “hurry up” _ from Adora. 

Catra looks up, catching the blonde ponytail swinging as Adora runs down the beach. 

_ Adora’s never been easy to ignore. _

Glimmer catches up to Adora and they walk side by side down the beach. 

Catra tried to switch shifts with Frosta. She assumed a young teenager would  _ want _ to have nights off. 

She tried to propose it as a win-win for her. 

She was wrong, it didn’t work. 

“I can’t, sorry,” Frosta told her. 

She was wearing a jersey with a polar bear on the front and a look of seriousness that Catra wasn’t used to seeing in someone so young. 

_ The strong need to be taken seriously _ . 

That’s where she’s seen that face. 

It’s the face of someone who is determined to not be taken advantage of, who fights instead of letting anyone  _ think _ of taking advantage of them. 

“I’ve got swim practice every day and if I’m going to make captain next year then I have to focus.”

She didn’t budge, so Catra remains, staring at Adora’s dumb ponytail, listening to her stupid laugh, seeing her talk to people she got closer to in college. 

Adora and Glimmer go to the same university, pushing them closer. They weren’t close during high school, not until the end. 

(That was her and Catra.)

_ They were inseparable.  _

(Or so Catra thought.)

But once Adora and Glimmer got accepted they started to talk more. Adora was taken in by her family and was accepted in ways they only dreamt of as kids. 

Catra was pushed out of the way.

_ So she pushed back _ . 

(And Catra pushes back harder than anyone else does.)

She spends her shift trying her best to ignore customers, cleaning the machines, scrolling instagram mindlessly. 

(Avoiding actual work at all costs.)

“Uh, hello?” She hears from the counter.

With a sigh, she turns around.

Standing at the counter is Adora, wearing a one-piece two-toned blue swimsuit. It’s unzipped to right below her collar bone. The sleeves fit tightly around her arms.

(Adora has always been fairly buff.)

_ But it seems she got more so in college. _

(Catra stares a little longer than needed before saving face.)

Catra lets her face transform into a mix of apathy and utter disdain. It’s her usual face when dealing with anyone. 

It keeps people away. 

(At least for the most part.)

“Hey Adora,” she says, trying her best to sound mocking and degrading. “Did Hordak say you don’t have to follow the dress code?”

Lifeguards wear the typical red suit while working, while the non-lifeguard staff has to wear red hawaiin shirts. Adora follows the dress code to the letter (even wears the dumb visor.) Catra wears her shirt tied in a knot at her stomach with a white crop top underneath. 

Hordak glares at her when she passes him, but he’s yet to say anything.

She is  _ technically _ following the rules.

“I’m not working,” she replies, crossing her arms. “Perfuma is teaching me to surf today.” She points behind her at the beach. 

Perfuma, standing in a similar bathing suit, differing only in color (orange and pink) is talking to Glimmer and Bow.

Soft laughter travels up the beach from their conversation. 

“Can I get water?” Adora asks. “I forgot my bottle at the house.”

Catra rolls her eyes, reaching behind her and grabbing a bottle from the fridge, tossing it at Adora.

“You should really remember it,” she says, turning back around. “The plastic isn’t good for the environment.” 

There’s a huff, followed by steps away as Adora leaves.

_ She always does _ . 

Catra turns back to wipe down the counter, hearing another song start to play. 

The oohs and ahhs of the song start to swell.

_ Kyle always chooses the most ridiculous songs _ .

Yesterday it was Bruno Mars.

(She threatened to wring his neck.)

Adora and Perfuma stand by the water, both holding their boards, talking intently. Adora’s board is a mix of colors. Catra can make out Pink, yellow, blue, orange, and purple. 

A few days ago she overheard them discuss the types of boards they both owned. Adora said something about her’s being called  _ Swift Wind. _

(Stupid name.)

She tries to eavesdrop but is unsuccessful. 

The waves roll onto the shore covering up any chance Catra had at overhearing their conversation. 

_ Little surfer, little one. _

Catra’s ears perk up, picking out specific lyrics.

_ Make my heart come all undone. _

(The loud music above her doesn’t help either.)

_ (At least it isn’t Bruno Mars.) _

_ Do you love me? Do you surfer girl? _

Catra frowns.

This isn’t what it was supposed to be like.

(She wasn’t ever supposed to have to see Adora again.)

_ I have watched you on the shore, standing by the ocean’s roll _ .

It was never supposed to be a problem. Adora has new friends and a life away from this stupid beach town. She’s going to college to become something and save lives, she’s going to make a difference in this world.

( _ Be the person she was always meant to be.) _

Catra is becoming who she was always meant to be too. Stuck here. Constantly surrounded by tourists for the beach, sand in her fur, always breathing air that tastes a little too salty. 

(She was never going to amount to anything anyway.)

_ Do you love me? Do you surfer girl? _

Catra throws down the rag she was using to clean. 

“Kyle!” Catra screams, leaning out the window. “Change this song before I rip your throat out!”

_______________________________________________

A week later, clouds softly roll in the sky as she rides her bike from her apartment. Catra tried four other times to get a different job, but still stuck at the beach. 

She wonders if she’ll know life without the smell of processed cheese and hot dog in her fur.

Catra gets to work and starts without a problem. It’s early and she hasn’t even opened the window yet. 

The door opens and closes behind her.

“Scorpia, I told you I-”

“Not Scorpia.”

She turns around.

(Who else would it be?)

She freezes. 

_ Of course, the one person she doesn’t want to see.  _

“Hey, Adora,” Catra mumbles.

She doesn’t have it in her to put the usual feeling into the greeting. The last thing she needs today is to see Adora hanging around.

(Especially so close.)

A few moments pass as Catra starts to clean, trying to ignore the elephant in the room. 

The blonde, tall, awkward elephant standing still by the door, pursing her lips in contemplation, shifting on her feet making the floor creak. 

“Okay seriously,” Catra snaps after some time. “Why are you here? Aren’t you a lifeguard or something? Go save a kid from drowning or whatever.”

Adora frowns.

“There are other lifeguards, Catra. I’m not the only one who works here.”

“That’s funny because the amount of time you spend here would have fooled me.”

It’s still early and Catra still hasn’t opened the window to the beach. It’s just her, Adora, the annoying buzzing light above her, and some frozen soft pretzels waiting to be heated up for the masses. 

“I need the hours! What’s the problem with that?” She screams. 

It sends a weird feeling through Catra. 

Any time Adora is near she feels this endless pit of energy within her. 

_ This is how she can let it out _ .

“The problem is you can’t ever seem to leave me alone!” Catra screams back. “Why don’t you go work the stand instead of constantly crawling back into my space.”

Adora huffs.

“Hordak said you needed help, so I’m here. You’re just going to have to deal with it.”

Catra turns to her. There’s a crease between her brows, her arms are crossed, and her chin is jutted out.

_ Fighting stance _ . 

“I don’t  _ need _ help!” She shouts, leaning to the window, trying to open it up.

It sticks.

_ Of course it does _ .

“Obviously you do or I wouldn’t be back here with you!” Adora responds.

Catra lets her yelling fall into the background, trying every trick she can to get it to open.

“Are you ignoring me now?” Adora asks. 

Catra sighs.

“It’s impossible. Ignoring you is like trying to ignore a car wreck when you’re the one getting t-boned.”

Adora stammers a response, but Catra doesn’t care enough to wait for her.

She walks to the door.

_ If she’s going to be stuck in this room for 8 hours with the one person she doesn’t want to see, she’s going to need the fucking window to open.  _

Catra gets to the door handle and it sticks.

But not in the usual way.

More in a _the_ _door is locked_ way. 

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Catra whispers.

“What? Can’t wait to get away from me?” Adora asks.

“No-” Catra pauses. “Well, yeah actually, I can’t.”

“You know what-”

Catra holds up a hand.

“The door is locked, moron.”

Adora closes her mouth.

“Can’t you just unlock it?” Adora asks. 

“It locks from the outside, dummy,” Catra retorts, flicking Adora’s forehead. 

Adora frowns and stares determinedly at the handle. 

It feels like high school again. Catra can see the way the gears move in her brain, slowly processing what is happening. 

She’s trying to create a plan, a solution.

_ Adora is always trying to fix everything _ . 

She sighs and sits on the ground, realizing she can’t fix it. 

Catra sits on the counter space behind the window.

“Do you have your phone?” Adora asks.

Catra shakes her head.

Hordak started to make her turn it in at the beginning of her shifts. 

Said it was a  _ distraction _ .

“Do you?”

Adora shakes her head.

“Water damage. It’s getting repaired. Ready for pickup later today, actually.” She shrugs. 

_ Great _ .

“Well, eventually Kyle or Scorpia will notice that no one is able to get their precious pretzels and they’ll save us.”

Catra closes her eyes.

Just block it out.

_ Ignore, ignore, ignore. _

Adora coughs. Catra can hear her shift on the floor.

(She can’t be comfortable.)

_ Ignore, ignore, ignore _ .

Catra tries to think of anything to distract herself. To avoid the way Adora constantly seems to be crashing into her life.

(She wasn’t joking about the car wreck analogy. There’s no better way to describe it.)

Adora always crashes back into her life.

(It used to be a welcomed comfort.)

Now…

Now it feels like she’s been hit by a semi.

A few moments pass in silence before anyone speaks.

“Are you just going to ignore me the  _ entire _ time?” Adora asks.

Catra shifts in her seat. 

“Sure as hell going to try,” Catra mutters.

That earns her a huff.

_ Great, here it goes. _

“What the fuck happened Catra?” 

It doesn’t come out as loud as Catra thought it would.

She opens an eye.

Adora looks hurt, almost.

(Catra frowns, not knowing how to take it.)

She looks her up and down. 

Adora’s eyes are looking down at her hands as she plays with her fingernails.

“Someone didn’t make sure the door didn’t lock behind them when they came-”

“You know what I mean,” Adora snaps.

She jerks her head up so her eyes are meeting Catra’s finally.

_ Her eyes are so blue _ .

They always were.

Even when they were little, Catra told Adora how she wished she had her eyes. 

Adora, the idiot, always made her feel better.

“ _ Catra you have two  _ different _ colored eyes! You know how absolutely cool that is?” _ She’d say.

Other people complimented Catra’s eyes, but it only felt like it mattered when Adora said it. 

“Surely I don’t,” Catra closes her eye again, hoping Adora drops the subject. 

“Fine, then I’ll say it.”

Catra hears Adora stand up but refuses to open her eyes.

_ Ignore, ignore, ignore.  _

“You’re a bitch, Catra.”

_ That’s not what she expected _ .

She feels shocked enough that she opens both eyes, raising her eyebrows as she does it.

“Yeah, you heard me.”

Adora is shaking.

“Seriously, what did I do to piss you off so much?” Adora shouts. “Go to college? Live my life?” 

_ Surely someone will hear her shouting soon _ .

“What did I do to deserve this?”

It’s quieter this time.

Catra lifts herself off the counter and onto the floor.

She immediately regrets it.

(Adora has always been taller.)

“You want to know why I don’t talk to you?” She snarls.

Adora steps back.

(What Catra lacks in height, she makes up in personality.)

“You  _ always _ have to be right,” she steps closer. “You  _ always _ need  _ everyone _ to like you at all times.”

“What-no I don’t?”

Adora’s eyes are wild, searching Catra’s face for something she isn’t sure of. 

“The  _ second _ you got accepted into your fucking school I was chopped liver to you.”

It comes out as a bite. Adora flinches. 

“Catra you were never-”

“You left me!” Catra yells.

She can’t hear it. Whatever Adora has to say, Catra knows she can’t listen to it. It’s not going to fix anything or change what has happened. 

No matter what Adora says, she knows it’s true. 

Silence.

She  _ left _ her.

Catra hears voices outside.

_ She left her _ . 

“Catra I-” a breath. “I didn’t mean to leave you.”

“Yeah, sure,” Catra turns to the handle to try it another time.

_ Maybe if she just... _

“You pushed me away! You stopped talking to me I-” 

Catra can hear the way it affects her.

_ You don’t get to be upset, Adora _ .

(Not when you are living your life.)

She hears a tiny sniff. 

_ (Not when I’ve been here, floating along, trying to come to grips with losing you.) _

Catra tries the handle again, staring at the silver knob, desperate to give in and just  _ open _ already. 

“I spent all last summer crying because my best friend stopped talking to me.”

Catra frowns at her hand.

“Catra,” Adora says. “Please.”

Catra squeezes her eyes closed.

She feels Adora’s hand lightly touch her own.

It feels nice.

(Normal, even.)

She starts to give in.

But as her body starts to turn, she feels the door handle move and she reaches her hand away from Adora’s.

The door opens.

Catra breathes. 

“Hey is everything alright in…” Kyle says, pausing as he takes in the scene. “Here?”

“Well, it looks like there are plenty of people here to work the concessions stand,” Catra states, reaching to grab her bag. “I’m sick,” she gives a fake cough,” I’m going home.”

She walks out.

No one says anything.

(Of course they don’t.)

She can feel their eyes on the back of her head, however. 

_ Act confident _ .

Don’t let them see how much it affects you.

(They can’t know.)

How what Adora said might have some truth to it.

_ You pushed me away _ .

Catra did.

Easier to push her away than what was going to happen when she left for good.

(Hurts, but not as bad as it could be.)

_ Nothing was ever going to be the same anyway.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! 
> 
> Check me out on [Tumblr](http://tumblr.com/blog/caitybuglove23)
> 
> I also made a playlist for this fic if you wanna check it out!
> 
> [Surfer Girl Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6e0XQC34iIMihYgAJTCLB0?si=D_1YOaszQ2SqSlyinMCeyA)


	3. Oreo Crumbs and Adora being Dumb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a work party at the beach, and somehow Catra gets dragged into going. 
> 
> When Adora falls into the water after being enticed to surf at night, Catra is forced to run after her.

Catra manages to avoid Adora, if only because Adora also seems to be keeping her distance too. 

Adora doesn’t come up the beach to get water. She even avoided coming to the counter when Perfuma was shouting for her, asking for her order. 

Catra isn’t going down the beach either. They’re both staying as far apart as possible. Even in meetings with Hordak, they are on opposite ends of the room, avoiding eye contact and any means of interaction. 

One time Catra accidentally brushed Adora’s arm with her hand.

(She felt like she could punch her.)

Adora apologized. 

Catra walked past, telling her to watch where she was going. 

It’s been three weeks since that happened. They’ve successfully stayed away. There have been close calls, but Catra has stood her ground. 

“Hey there, Wildcat,” Scorpia greets, walking up to the window. 

“Hey Scorpia,” Catra responds absentmindedly, counting the drawer.

She has twenty minutes until Frosta comes, and she is planning to leave as quickly as she can. 

“Are you going to the party tomorrow?”

Catra frowns. 

_ She’s twenty dollars short _ .

She hums absentmindedly, recounting the money.

“Great! I was thinking we could come together? I’m really nervous.”

_ Five dollars short this time _ .

Catra cracks her neck.

“Yeah totally,” she adds, recounting again.

_ All those years of math classes and she still can’t count _ .

“Great! Perfuma is coming and she said we should hang out. I’m really hoping she might want to go out with me after.”

After the third recount, Catra’s numbers add up and she sighs in relief, closing the drawer.

_ Ten minutes _ .

“When should I come to your place?” Scorpia asks, a look of excitement clear on her face.

“What?” Catra responds, confused. 

“Uh, you said I could come to the party tomorrow with you? I assume we will meet at your apartment, since it’s closer.”

Catra stares at Scorpia, trying to let the conversation catch up with her.

Party?

Her eyes wander to the shore. 

(Oh fuck, there  _ is _ a work party tomorrow.)

Adora laughs with Perfuma, after spending ten minutes trying to balance on her board.

(Not that Catra was paying attention.)

“Oh there’s no way,” Catra says, realizing what she had accidentally just agreed to. “I’m not going to that fucking party.”

Adora is bound to be there.

She can’t do it.

Not after successfully avoiding her for so long. 

“Oh, well,” Scorpia’s face drops. Catra feels her stomach drop. “That’s alright, I’m sure Kyle or someone would come with me.”

Scorpia walks slowly away.

_ Let her leave.  _

She looks sad. 

(It’s pathetic.)

Catra can feel her defenses start to break. 

(Don’t do it.)

_ Scorpia is a big girl, she can go to a party by herself.  _

Scorpia starts to turn away. 

Catra groans.

(The guilt catches up with her.)

“Fine, I’ll go,” she says reluctantly. 

Scorpia’s done a lot for her.

Maybe Adora won’t come. 

“Oh gosh.” Scorpia reaches over the counter, pulling Catra into a bone-crushing hug.

_ Catra hates hugs _ .

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she says, squeezing her tighter.

“Yeah,” Catra chokes. “Don’t mention it.”

Scorpia lets her go and walks away, beaming. 

“7 work?” She shouts.

Catra nods and waves her off.

It’s just one night. She can handle it. Scorpia won’t be around her much as she’ll be too busy with Perfuma. She could probably leave early if she wanted.

(Steal some food, go home undetected.)

If Catra is anything, it’s the queen of the Irish Goodbye. 

______________________________________________________

Scorpia shows up at 6:55 sharp, much to Catra’s chagrin. She’s smiling from ear to ear, and bouncing on her feet, clearly excited to go to the party. 

“You’re early,” Catra states when she opens the door. 

Scorpia is wearing light wash jeans and a black shirt that drapes from her shoulder. 

Catra looks down at her outfit. 

_ Jean shorts, sandals, a red tank top, and a black hoodie tied around her waist. _

Maybe she should have tried more. 

“Are you ready?” Scorpia asks, completely ignoring Catra’s statement. 

She has her pincers behind her back, nervously looking around Catra’s apartment.

Scorpia is buzzing and Catra can’t handle it.

“Let’s just go,” she mutters, grabbing her keys, a black baseball cap, and her wallet.

When she turns around after locking her door, she slips the cap on backward and finds that Scorpia has already walked half a block ahead of her. 

Sighing, she drags her feet behind her, trying (and failing) to catch up as they walk to the beach. 

______________________________________________________

When they arrive it’s 7:30. Catra can hear laughter and music as they walk to the sand. 

She hopes to slip through undetected and let Scorpia do what she needs to. Just get out, go home, sit on the couch and watch reruns of shitty T.V. with a can of pringles and a can of Vanilla Coke. 

But as she walks to the table with drinks and food, she spots Adora. 

(It’s impossible to miss her.)

Adora stands by the volleyball net, leaning against a pole. No one is playing, but she has the ball resting on her hip, holding it up with her hand. In front of her stand Bow and Glimmer.

Catra scans the table, trying to decide what to eat.

“Well, I’m gonna-” Scorpia says, pointing towards Perfuma. 

“Yeah yeah,” Catra responds, looking back towards the volleyball net. 

Adora looks up, meeting Catra’s eyes. 

Catra immediately looks back down at the table of food and grabs a package of Oreos, walking away as quickly as possible. 

She moves to a secluded spot to the side of the beach, far away from anyone who may bother her. 

She can hear music from the speaker and the sounds of everyone talking. 

The distinct sound of Adora’s laugh makes her ear twitch involuntarily. 

_ She’s so lucky _ . 

(Adora always has been.)

Adora met new friends, replaced Catra, and seems to have it relatively easy. 

Everyone loves her.

There was a time when it was just the two of them against the world. No parents, no families, and no way to figure out what would come next. 

Catra takes a bite out of an Oreo and looks back up in Adora’s direction. Her chest feels tight for a moment. 

Catra has always hated the water, but one summer Adora tried to teach her to swim.

“ _ Adora!”  _ Catra screamed. Adora managed to get her into a swimsuit, but Catra was  _ determined _ to not let Adora do anything more. “ _ You  _ know _ I hate the water!” _

_ “I know, but, Catra,” _ Adora pleaded, _ ”It’ll be fun! And I’ll be there the whole time with you.” _

They were ten at the time, and it was one of the first visits the home would take to the beach. Adora had forced Catra to put on her swimsuit, excited to try to swim in the ocean. 

After some fighting, Catra walked into the water with Adora. 

She had fun (not that she let Adora believe so.)

It was Adora. And it was her. 

Adora could always get Catra to do something if she put her mind to it. 

(Catra always fights back, though. She’s never been one to just  _ do _ what other people want.)

Catra eats another Oreo. Crumbs fall into her lap. 

It starts to get dark, and people begin to separate out into groups. There was an attempt at a volleyball game, but it ended in a mess of cheating and kicking the ball across the sand.

Catra sighs, thinking that now might be the time to leave. But then she hears Adora laugh.

(It’s a weird snort. Absolutely annoying, but incredibly endearing.)

Catra turns to look, lifting an Oreo to her mouth.

Adora’s talking with Frosta, laying down on the sand while she sits next to her. 

Then a moment happens, briefly, when Adora moves her head in Catra’s direction. The smile is still large on her face from her laughter and she looks completely relaxed and comfortable. 

Catra wonders if there is something wrong with her heart.

(It can’t continue skipping and jumping like this. Beat at a regular rhythm or get out, stupid organ.)

But she can’t help but think that she’s smiling at her.

And then, her smile gets larger, and she raises a hand to wave.

Catra drops her Oreo in the container.

“How are you doing, wildcat?” Scorpia asks.

Catra yelps, jumping slightly, tail fluffing, and fur standing on edge. 

“I’m fine.” She does a quick flattening of her tail and wipes some of the Oreo crumbs off her body. “Are you done with Perfuma?”

“She’s in the restroom, so I thought I’d come check on you,” Scorpia says, sitting down next to her. 

She tries to get an Oreo, but her pincer is too large to get into the small package.

Catra sighs and hands her one. 

Scorpia gives an enthusiastic  _ thank you _ around her mouthful of Oreo. Crumbs fall in the sand.

Catra checks her phone. 

_ 9:01 _ .

She blinks and looks around.

It’s dark, the only light source coming from the torches lit on the beach. 

The water continues to crash onto the sand in lazy waves. 

“Hey, Adora!” Someone shouts.

Catra frowns and looks over.

_ Hey Adora is  _ her _ thing _ .

“You’ve been learning how to surf, right?” 

It’s Frosta. She’s sitting next to two others that Catra doesn’t know, looking up at Adora as she and Glimmer pass the volleyball back and forth.

“Yeah!” Adora replies.

Glimmer passes the ball and it hits Adora in the face.

Catra lets out a loud laugh, making Adora look back at her, rubbing her eye. She smiles, and Catra quickly closes her mouth.

“Do you think you could show us?” Frosta asks. 

Catra frowns.

_ Isn’t it a bit dark to be surfing? _

Adora hesitates, looking at the water.

She hasn’t been doing it long enough to even do any tricks. Last Catra saw she was finally moving from the lying on the board phase to the standing on it bit. 

_ Surely this can’t be safe. _

After a few more moments, prying, and of Catra listening in, Adora grabs her board.

The group cheers and Catra watches Adora go to the water.

“That can’t be a good idea,” Catra whispers.

Scorpia says something, but Catra doesn’t pay attention. 

Adora takes off her top and her shorts, revealing a one-piece swimsuit. Catra can barely make it out from where she sits, the light only  _ just _ making it to her. It looks white, with gold accents.

She gets into the water and lies on the board. Catra can see her bob up and down slightly. 

There aren’t any waves, she’ll be alright, Catra tells herself.

She hears Scorpia get up and walk away but doesn’t acknowledge it. She’s too busy watching Adora. Her ears are perked up and she’s digging her claws into the sand.

She’s ready to pounce if needed.

  
  


Adora moves to stand. 

(There are no waves; she’ll be okay.)

She wobbles and Catra stands up. 

Adora gets her footing and she relaxes, telling herself she’s stupid for being worried. 

_ Why is she becoming so worried about Adora anyway? _

(She’s never needed help anyway.)

Almost on cue, Adora yelps and falls off her board.

There is a crash and then silence. 

Catra waits one moment before taking off. 

Without thinking, considering her actions, and barely taking her shoes off before hitting the end of the beach, Catra runs into the water. 

_ It’s too dark _ .

Adora isn’t great with the dark.

(Neither of them are, really.)

Catra hates water. Always has, always will. (Natural side effect of the fur, and being part cat, she assumes.) But, like when she was 10 and Adora was begging her to get in the water, she will push her hatred aside for her. 

The water is cold, uncomfortable, and makes Catra want to jump out immediately. But she pushes through, trying to make sure Adora is okay.

“Adora?” She shouts, reaching her surfboard.

Her heart is pounding inside of her chest as her anxiety rises. She’s about to duck underneath the water again, determined to find Adora, when she pops her head up and takes a gasp of air. 

Immediately Catra swims to her.

“Adora,” she says, voice cracking. “Are you alright?”

She grabs her shoulders, treading water with her feet. 

Adora coughs up some water.

“I’m fine I’m fine,” she says between breaths. 

They stay there for a moment as Adora catches her breath. Catra focuses on the feeling of Adora’s shoulders rising and falling.

“Wait-” Adora says finally, looking over at Catra. “Did you just jump into the  _ ocean _ to save me?” 

Catra blinks and immediately lets go of her.

“What?” She asks, shaking her head. “No! Of course not!”

Adora starts to laugh.

“Yeah, you did! You totally just jumped into the water to save my life,” Adora jokes, smiling at Catra as she grabs her board again. 

Catra stutters for a moment, deciding quickly after to respond by shoving her. 

It doesn’t have the effect she wants, however, and Adora continues to laugh as they make their way to the shore. 

Adora pauses as they get closer, grabbing something as it floats next to them. 

“I believe this is yours,” she says, handing her cap over. 

Catra grabs it as water gushes out of it. 

“Thanks?” Catra responds, unsure if she should put it on. 

Adora smiles and continues to walk. 

Catra shakes more water out, shrugs, and slips it on her already soaking head of hair. 

When they get out of the water, Catra starts to walk quickly away, trying to make it back to her forgotten container of Oreos. But she is stopped when she feels a warm hand in her own. 

She looks down at her hand, then up, seeing Adora looking at her. 

Adora opens her mouth to say something.

“Adora!” Catra hears from behind her. 

Two voices.

(Her friends.)

Catra lets go of her hand and takes a step back as they approach. 

They fret for a moment, bringing Adora up the beach and away from Catra. 

Catra lets out a sigh.

“I can’t believe you did that,” she hears Glimmer say.

“I go to the restroom for one minute and  _ this _ is what you do?” Bow asks, voice cracking.

When Catra looks up she sees Adora still watching her as she walks away.

She can tell it on her face.

Adora didn’t want to leave, she wanted to stay.

But she still is.

(She’s leaving.)

_ She always will, won’t she? _

Catra takes a seat in the sand, trying to ignore the fact that she is dripping wet, sitting in soaking clothes, and still close enough to the water that it almost touches her toes. 

She starts to draw in the sand. Lines, random shapes, a few words.

(Adora.)

Catra lets out one last sigh and looks back.

Adora is standing next to Glimmer and Bow again but looks at her the entire time. 

After a moment she excuses herself and starts to walk towards Catra.

Catra straightens her back and tries to sharpen her features. 

  
_ The time for avoiding Adora is over.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading!!! This fic is for [Jay](http://tumblr.com/blog/adamarks)! 
> 
> Feel free to check me out on [ I also made a playlist, if you'd like to give it a listen! ](http://tumblr.com/blog/caitybuglove23)[Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6e0XQC34iIMihYgAJTCLB0?si=yAsUwkHEQWydBeVdiw8Srw)


	4. Face Your Fears (and Your Emotions)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora is walking down the beach after Catra jumped into the ocean for her. 
> 
> Catra fears the worse. 
> 
> (But she might be surprised by what Adora has to say.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A birthday fic for [Adamarks](http://tumblr.com/blog/adamarks)
> 
> I hope you enjoy the last chapter <3

Catra erases the drawings she’s made in the sand, trying to ignore what is about to happen. 

She hears footsteps as Adora gets closer. 

_ She could just run.  _

But she’s tired, and she’s wet. 

Two things she hates being.

And, maybe, she’s done. Let Adora say her piece and leave again. 

(She always will.)

“Hey Catra,” Adora says, taking a seat next to her. 

Catra can feel her eyes on her, but refuses to turn her head and look. 

(It’s childish, but also necessary. She can’t look at Adora.)

Not now. Not when she can feel the emotion building. 

Adora huffs and settles down. Catra can see her face the ocean too, her eyes finally leaving Catra. 

It’s a relief, not having her complete attention. 

“Fine, then just listen,” Adora starts. Her voice is tense and rough. The softness of her greeting is no longer present. “I’m sorry.” 

Catra blinks. 

_ That’s not what she thought would happen _ .

She expected more shouts about how Adora hates her, is made at her, maybe wants to hit her. 

An apology isn’t any of those. 

“Good,” Catra responds, putting her head on her knees. 

“I’m sorry I left,” Adora continues, ignoring Catra’s sharp reply. “But I just-” the softness returns with a twinge of pain. “I wish I knew why you pushed me away.” 

Adora’s voice turns into a whisper, conveying more than any of her words could say. 

Catra takes a deep breath in and closes her eyes. 

“I never hated you,” Adora whispers. She shifts, making Catra feel the intensity of her complete attention. “Even when you ignored me, even when I came back and you were mean to me.” 

A pause. 

“You should have,” Catra mutters. 

“I know you think that,” Adora whispers. “Mainly I’m just confused. We were so close- and I-” 

A sigh. 

“I miss you.” 

It comes out even softer than her words before. The conversations happening far away on the beach almost drown it out. 

But Catra is always listening for Adora. She’d never miss her words. 

Catra can feel her eyes begin to sting, but braces herself against it. 

_ Don’t cry Catra. _

Not now. 

(You’ve cried enough.)

“You got so lucky,” Catra says quietly. “We were all going through the same thing. Applying to schools, looking to the future. And you managed to get it all.” 

There’s laughter behind them as the party continues. A wave of water touches the tip of Catra’s toes. 

“You got into school, you got a home, and you got new friends,” Catra continues. “I just got stuck in this dusty old place without any way to escape.” 

“You always acted like you didn’t  _ want _ to go to college.” Adora picks up a seashell, rubbing the sand off with her fingers. 

“I lied,” Catra responds. 

She’s not sure if she was, at least. But having the option would have been nice. Or at least have someone to help her figure it all out. Figure out what the next step is after high school. 

Adora shifts. 

She thinks, for a moment, if she wants to go into everything. If she wants to tell it all.

She hasn’t told anyone, not yet at least. 

(May as well start now.) 

Worst case, Adora never speaks to her again. That was already what was happening anyway.

(Well, worst-case scenario Catra runs into the ocean and joins the dolphins, but Adora never speaking to her again is a close second.)

“Do you remember our guidance counselor that was helping us apply?” She asks. 

“Yeah, Shadow Weaver,” Adora confirms. 

_ Shadow Weaver. _

What a name for a guidance counselor. 

Adora and Catra both got stuck with her. There was another guidance counselor, Castaspella. She was far more helpful.

(From what Catra heard, at least.)

“Well I kept trying to meet with her, to figure out what to do, and she was no help.” 

She looks over at Adora and sees her frowning at the seashell. 

“You know how hard it was for us. It’s not like we had the support or knowledge to figure out what the hell we were doing.” Catra shifts, slightly facing her. “And I finally got a meeting with her in March, right before spring break.”

Spring break, senior year. 

That’s when Catra started to sever ties. 

Adora had already been accepted into an out of state university. She was Shadow Weaver’s shining light. The foster kid that she single handedly helped get into school. 

While Catra stood there, unable to so much as get a meeting with her. 

(She didn’t know what to do. What was a FASFA? How was she to figure out essays and pay for application fees?)

The college application process is ridiculous and twisted. 

“When we met she said I shouldn’t bother. That there would be no school that’d want me.” 

Adora looks up, eyes bright with fury. 

Catra looks back down at her knees. 

“She said with my attitude and scores there was no way I’d ever make it in college. That it’d be better for me to just find a job and try to figure it out from there,” Catra shrugs. 

She walked away from that meeting furious and defeated. Immediately she went to go talk to Adora, to find comfort, but then Adora gave her the  _ news _ . 

That she’d be moving in with Glimmer. They were both going to the same school, Glimmer had a large enough house, and her parents  _ loved _ Adora. 

(Doesn’t everyone?) 

Adora asked Catra to come with her. She told her there was still another room, and that Glimmer’s parents wouldn’t mind. That she’d already brought it up with them. 

But Catra’s mind was already made up. 

In the thirty seconds of Adora excitedly talking about leaving the group home, moving in with a friend, Catra realized this is where they parted. 

Adora, the golden girl, and Catra, the misfit. 

The one who would never be good enough. 

Catra continues to look at her toes as she talks. 

“So even the person who was supposed to help me figure out my life told me I was worthless.” 

Adora was always going to be successful.

Catra never would be. 

“So I let you go enjoy your wonderful new life, one without me and the way I’d  _ drag you down. _ ”

Her chest starts to flare up with anger at the memories. 

Shadow Weaver once told Adora that she was  _ distracted _ by Catra. That she needed to remember that high school friendships don’t always last. She told Adora to think of her  _ future. _

(A future without Catra.)

But her anger dissipates immediately at a single sound. 

_ A sniff. _

Catra turns her head and sees tears running down Adora’s face. 

“What?” Catra asks, confused. “Why are you crying?”

She turns her body and puts her hands on Adora’s knees. 

“Catra,” Adora wipes a tear away. “You’re absolutely amazing. You can do anything you want in life.”

Catra leans back and rolls her eyes. 

“I’m serious!” Adora says louder. “Fuck Shadow Weaver and her bullshit. She  _ barely _ helped me get into school.” 

Catra’s eyes go wide.

She didn’t think she’d ever hear the phrase  _ fuck Shadow Weaver _ out of Adora’s mouth.

“If you want to go to school, then do it. I’ll help you even, if you’ll let me. Prove her wrong and show that you can do it if you want to.” Catra shifts to looking back at the ocean, letting Adora’s words wash over her. “But also,” Adora leans into her line of sight. “If you don’t want to go to school, you don’t have to. Going to college isn’t the end all be all of being successful.” 

Catra rolls her eyes and lets a huff of laughter out. 

“I know,” Catra replies. Adora moves back. This time she’s sitting closer, their elbows touching. 

Usually the touches make Catra want to hit her or shove her away. But now, as her fur starts to dry, and the moon begins hanging higher in the sky, she feels comforted by it instead. 

Adora begins to talk about how she can help her apply to schools if she wants, that if she doesn’t want to start in the fall she could start at spring even.

At one point her head falls to Catra’s shoulder, and she lets her head rest on top of hers, closing her eyes.

Adora mentions that they could live together even, if Catra wanted. 

It feels natural, normal. 

Warm and soft.

And, without thinking, or control over her own body, Catra lets the words she’s been holding in for too long escape.

“I love you, Adora.”

It’s a whisper, and immediately after Catra lifts her head off of Adora’s and backs away. 

There’s a pause as Catra debates the best way to run away from the situation.

(She’s lived a long life. Maybe it’s finally time to run off and join a circus. Be a truck driver, maybe.)

But when Adora’s eyes meet Catra’s, they make her stay still. Her eyes are blue and bright, filled with emotion. 

_ She’s smiling. _

If Adora is smiling then maybe…

“You love me?” She asks, smiling larger.

Catra opens her mouth, searching for the words.

_ Call her an idiot. _

_ Tell her you were talking about Oreos. _

(Her brain doesn’t help her out in this case. It can’t seem to work fast enough.)

“I love you too,” she whispers. 

Catra blinks. 

_ She loves me too. _

Catra decides to do something extra ballsy and begins to lean in. 

She sees Adora’s eyes close, and she leans in too. Her hand moves behind Catra’s back, pulling her closer. 

This whole time, Catra thought…

(She was wrong, apparently.)

Their lips meet and Catra feels like it's more than what it might seem to outsiders. 

It’s not just a kiss.

It’s a promise.

A declaration. 

After this, they aren’t going to abandon each other. 

She loves Adora.

And Adora loves her back. 

  
And maybe- just maybe- this is the start to something new. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Feel free to check me out on [Tumblr](http://tumblr.com/blog/caitybuglove23)
> 
> Also feel free to listen to the [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6e0XQC34iIMihYgAJTCLB0?si=rofOf5wWRxKkk1Eykg-3pQ) I made for this. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this little fic! It was fun to write <3


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